Lighter



Feb. 22, 1949. H. J. SUDBRINK LIGHTER Filed oct. 5. 1945' IN VEN TOR. am@ jaa/m2,?

AGENT Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEv LIGHTER Harold J. Sudbrink, Woodside, Long Island, N. Y. Application October 3, 1945, Serial No. 620,001 va claims. (cl. sv- 7.1)

The present invention relates to lighters and particularly to lighters of the pyrophoric type.

Lighters of known construction consist of a comparatively great number of parts which are set together by soldering or other means and it has been desirable for some time to simplify the construction in order to reduce the number of parts and thereby the cost of manufacturing of lighters. These known lighters, however, consist mainly of one shell or two half-shells into which tubes and other conventional elements are inserted. I

It is the main object of the present invention to reduce the numberoi parts which comprise a lighter to a minimum in order to lower the cost of the individual parts, but also to reduce the -labor for assembling the parts.

This object is achieved mainly by providing Apreferably two die-casts, one face of each is equipped with two half-cylindrical borings, so that upon setting the two die-casts face to face, the two half-cylindrical borings form in each cast two' cylindrical borings adapted to receive the pyrophoric metal and. the wick, respectively.

With these and other objects in view which will become apparent, the present invention will be clearly understood in connection with the following specification andthe accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective front view of the lighter, the parts being shown in spaced position for the purpose of better demonstration;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the lighter inserted in the shells in enlarged scale, also for better demonstration;

Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the two die-casts in assembled position.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, vthe lighter consists of two diecasts I, 2 of preferably half-circular cross section. although any other cross sections can be provided. Each die cast has a front face 3 and 4, respectively, which is equipped with half cylindrical recesses 5, 6 and 1, 8, respectively, extend- `ing in parallel arrangement in axial direction.

When the two die-casts I, 2 are set together, the half cylindrical recesses 5 and I form one boring 9 adapted to receive a lwick I0 and the half cylindrical recesses 6 and 8 form another boring II adapted to receive the pyrophoric metal I 2 or any other substance adapted'to produce sparks. The pyrophoric rnetal I2 is held in its uppermost position by a spring I3 the upper ends of which engage the lower end of the metal I2. The lower end of the spring I3 engages the upper end of a threaded member I4, as a screw, screwed into the lower end of the boring I I which is internally threaded for that purpose.

The die-cast I is equipped with preferably two centering pins i5, and the die-cast 2 'with two corresponding centering holes I6 (Fig. 2) providing a tight t for the pins I5, so that upon inserting the pins I5 into the holes I6 the diecasts I and 2 will form one single cylindrical body having borings 9 and II.

Each die-cast has further an upwardly extending projection I'l and I 8, respectively, of preferably sector-like cross section, which projections are equipped with studs I9 and 20 arranged in co-axial position. The studs serve as axle for an abrasive wheel 2|, which desirably has teeth resembling ratchet teeth, freely rotatable on the studs I9 and 20. The abrasive wheel 2| is in contact with the upper end of the pyrophoric metal which is urged against the teeth by means of the spring I3. When the abrasive wheel 2|, as shown in Fig. 2, is rotated in counterclockwise direction, portions of the pyrophoric metal are torn from the body thereof and form a shower of sparks directed to the right of the wick I0.

The cylindrical body formed by the die-casts I and 2 is inserted into a lower cylindrical shell 22 having a layer of cotton 23 at its bottom adapted to receive fuel and the lower end of the wick I0 is in intimate contact with the cotton layer in order to assure proper suction of fuel from the cotton to the upper end of the wick I0. An upper cylindrical shell 24 covering the upper half of the lighter body is provided preferably abutting the upper end of the lower shell 22. It is, however, possible to arrange a shoulder (not shown) on the body, serving as abutment for the upper shell 24.

Upon inserting the wick I0 into the, recess 5 and setting the abrasive wheel 2| on stud I9 of the die-cast I, the die-cast 2 is brought face to face to die-cast I, the pins I5 opposite the holes IS and with one hammer blow the two die-casts I and 2 transformed into one cylindrical body, at the same time the stud 20 being introduced into the other end of the cylindrical boringv of the abrasive wheel 2|. It is then only necessary to insert the pyrophoric metal I2, the spring I3 and the threaded member I4 into the boring to complete the lighter. Finally the thus assembled lighter is inserted into the lower shell 22 in which a cotton layer 23 soaked with a fuel has 3 been provided previously and the top shell 24 put over the lighter.

While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention, it is to be understood that this embodiment has been given by example only and not to limit the scope of the present invention which is determined by the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a lighter at least two die-casts forming together a body, a at face on each of said diecasts, two recesses in parallel arrangement in each of said faces, said recesses are adapted to form borings in said body when the said die-casts are put together face to face, said borings receiving a Wick and a pyrophoric material, respectively, an abrasive wheel, integral lprojections on each of said die-casts, stud members -in coaxial arrangement on each of said projections, said abrasive wheel freely rotatable on said stud members above said boring receiving the pyrophoric metal, the latter boring receiving the pyrophoric metal having an inner thread at its lower end adapted to receive a threaded member, means for retaining said die-casts in face-to-face position, and upper and lower shell sections jointly enclosing said body, said lower shell section serving as a fuel tank.

2. In a lighter, two longitudinal die-casts of half-circular cross-section forming together a,

cylindrical body when the at faces of each of said half-cylindrical die-casts are put together, two half-cylindrical recesses in axial direction in the flat face of each of said half-cylindrical diecasts to form cylindrical borings when the said two die-casts are set together face to face, said borings receiving a wick and a pyrophoric metal, respectively, integral projections extending upwardly from said half-cylindrical die-casts, stud members on each of said projections in co-axial arrangement, an abrasive wheel freely rotatable on said stud members above said boring on the pyrophoric metal, the latter boring receiving the pyrophoric metal havingV an inner thread at its lower end adapted to receive a threaded' member, at least two pins extending from one face and complementary recesses in the other face of said half-cylindrical die-casts, and upper and lower shell sections jointly enclosing said body, said lower shell section serving as a fuel tank.

3. In a lighter, as set forth in claim 1, said means for retaining said die-casts in face to face position `comprising atleast two centering pins extending from the face of one of said die-casts, and complementary recesses in the face of said other die-cast in a position corresponding to said pins.

HAROLD J. SUDBRINK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 450,376 France Jan. 17, 1913 560,296 Great Britain Mar. 29, 1944 

